In NGFA Keynote Address, Luciano Discusses How U.S. Grain Industry Can Continue to Lead in Feeding the World
March 20 2017 - 12:30PM
Business Wire
- Technology, talent, better
infrastructure, reduced regulatory burden are keys
U.S. agriculture can continue to feed a growing world and meet
consumer demand for healthy, nutritious foods by leveraging new
technologies, expanding research and development, attracting top
talent, and working with governments to shore up critical
infrastructure.
This was the message Juan Luciano, chairman and CEO of Archer
Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM), brought to the National Grain
and Feed Association in a keynote address Monday in New
Orleans.
Luciano said his confidence stemmed from the central role U.S.
agriculture has played in improving the human condition in recent
decades. “Led by the U.S., the world has been able not only to feed
a population that has increased by 5 billion since 1950, but also
to feed the world a better diet,” he said.
He noted that global poverty had fallen faster in the past 20
years than at any time in history, and that the global infant
mortality rate in 2015 was about half the 1990 rate.
He cited several global trends with broad implications for the
agriculture and food industries: the emergence of China and India
as economic forces rivaling the U.S.; growth in consumer demand for
nutritious foods; and rapid technological innovation, which has led
to the widespread use of sensors and satellite imagery in precision
farming.
Luciano proceeded to suggest several ways the industry could
help feed a global population of 9.6 billion people by 2050 and
serve as a provider of nutrition and health, and not just as a
supplier of consumer goods.
Expanding research into yields and drought resistance; deploying
emerging technologies; and investing in inland waterways, bridges,
roadways and other infrastructure would help meet the need for
greater crop volumes, Luciano said.
He added that the industry would need to continue innovating to
develop new products that meet consumer demand for foods that
promote health and wellness. Ongoing technological
advances—including increases in computing capacity and cloud
storage—may ultimately usher in a new era of “personalized
nutrition” as the food industry develops better functional
ingredients that target specific health issues, Luciano said.
In terms of public policy, Luciano noted that the industry must
make the case that trade in agricultural products is not a zero-sum
game. “Climates, crop seasonality, and the impact of weather
patterns make trade essential for feeding the world, for the health
of global economy, and for farmers worldwide,” Luciano said.
Finally, he noted that continued investment in innovation,
research and development, and young talent were essential for the
industry’s long-term success.
“Working together, we can ensure that U.S. agriculture will
continue the transformational, life-altering gains that have made
our world a better place, a more humane place—a place of hope,
promise and shared prosperity,” he concluded.
About ADM
For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland
Company (NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve
the vital needs of a growing world. Today, we’re one of the world’s
largest agricultural processors and food ingredient providers, with
approximately 32,000 employees serving customers in more than 160
countries. With a global value chain that includes approximately
500 crop procurement locations, 250 ingredient manufacturing
facilities, 38 innovation centers and the world’s premier crop
transportation network, we connect the harvest to the home, making
products for food, animal feed, industrial and energy uses. Learn
more at www.adm.com.
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RelationsJackie Andersonmedia@adm.com312-634-8484
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